


Something That Is Real

by Eustacia Vye (eustaciavye)



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-20
Updated: 2010-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-13 21:41:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/142007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eustaciavye/pseuds/Eustacia%20Vye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the inception_kink prompt: <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/inception_kink/12989.html?thread=28705725#t28705725">Russia, job goes foul. The group is separated but Ariadne and Arthur meet up. Trouble is that it's winter, Ariadne's clothes are soaked, and she's near hypothermic in a place with no heating. Arthur must use his own naked body to warm her.</a> I followed the prompt. It went all downhill from there. :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something That Is Real

They were in Penza, a small city on the Sura River that was some distance from Moscow. Ariadne was amused by the fact that their job took them to Penza State University of Architecture and Construction, where she wandered the halls as a student again. It allowed her to get a feel for the local structures and how the students looked and behaved. She liked the rolling hills and forested areas in the city, and looked forward to incorporating them into her designs of the area. November in Penza was chilly, with temperatures hovering just above zero. Ariadne stayed in the university hallways and common areas instead of venturing into the classrooms, as she didn't know the language. Arthur and Eames were fluent, but spent most of their time at the railroad station or airport, figuring how to make the current job work. It seemed more important to get that under wraps than to have them translate architecture classes for her. She almost wished she knew Russian, if only to ask what the other students thought of their local buildings, the hollow box bridge over the river or what they felt were the most important parts of the city.

Once Arthur, Eames and their current extractor got most of the background information for the current job, however, there was no time to think about the city or how the locals felt about it. Their subject was a businessman working with the university but suspected of having mafia ties, and their employer was paying them a lot of money to find out what those ties were.

It went smoothly at first. Ariadne was watching over the three men, making sure the timer ticked down as planned, ready to put the headphones over Arthur's ears to signal the kick. Eames' eyes snapped open first and he gasped for breath. Without thinking about it, she immediately upped the sedative for the subject before moving over to Eames. He pulled the line from his arm as he struggled to get his breathing under control. "Fucker was militarized. It's down to Arthur and Hector to get names now."

He helped her to roll up his line and try to clean up the area a bit, just in case they had to run. She put the headphones over Arthur's ears at the proper time, and within five seconds, Hector's eyes snapped open. He said something undoubtedly filthy in Spanish and yanked out his own line with more force than necessary. "I take it everything didn't go well?" Eames asked in a bland tone of voice. Hector glared at him and Ariadne simply looked confused. "Well? Can we get a payout or not?"

"I got two names. Hopefully it's enough."

Arthur woke on time, eyes clear and resentful when he looked at Hector. Ariadne didn't think that they were going to be working with the Spaniard again. It was easy enough to leave the area, but it wasn't going to be safe for the four of them to leave all at the same time. Eames left first, before Arthur's line was even coiled and tucked away to be disposed of later. Hector went next, and Ariadne looked at Arthur in concern. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah. Hector's sloppy and got Eames killed for no good reason."

"As long as it's not the real world, right?" Ariadne asked, her hand brushing across his.

Arthur blinked at the contact but gave her an appreciative glance. "I suppose. You leave first. I'll take the PASIV and meet up with you at the prearranged time."

Ariadne couldn't figure out later on how she was found out. She had nothing to do with the dream itself, really. She also was a tiny slip of a thing, and was good at hiding in crowds. Picking her way around Penza wasn't terribly difficult after being there for several days. Maybe that was how she let down her guard. Someone grabbed her arm and she dimly recognized his face as one of their subject's guards. Though he was armed and angry looking, she had surprise and the defensive training Arthur had put her through on the side. She yanked his head down to her level, smashing his nose with her knee before kicking him in the groin. Her boots were stiff and the toes were reinforced; the guard offered no resistance after his eyes flew wide with pain.

She took off at a run but he was shooting at her, not caring that passersby might get hit as well. That had to be a bad sign, and proof positive in her mind that the subject was as dirty as their employer thought.

She ignored the stinging pain in her arm and kept right on going. Heading away from the heart of the city, she thought about using the new bridge to cross the Sura to get toward the safe meeting place. There were more voices shouting after her in Russian, and she cursed the fact that she couldn't comprehend any of it. From now on, she had to learn at least a few choice phrases and curse words. Those were always useful to know.

Shots rang out behind her, and she stumbled before she even made it to the bridge. She tumbled down the embankment and into the Sura, the frigid waters shocking the breath out of her. There were more shouts above her, and it was all she could do to keep her head above water. Her heavy clothes were getting even heavier as they got waterlogged, and Ariadne kicked out in a panic. She couldn't feel the bottom, even this close to the riverbank, and she was cold.

Ariadne managed to drag herself onto the riverbank, and she eyed the opposite side with a sigh. With extreme effort, she managed to get under the bridge to hide. For an agonizing moment, she thought that they would be able to hear her teeth chatter. Unable to find her in the water, the noise above her died down. They must have assumed that she drowned in the river. She made herself wait another few minutes, just to be sure that no one was left behind to keep a look out on the water. When she really couldn't wait any longer, Ariadne pulled herself up the riverbank. She was shivering so hard her spine seemed to grate, and her teeth would chatter every time she loosened her jaws. She managed to make it to the bridge and then walk across, her arms around herself as if she was merely one more chilled citizen in Penza.

Arthur was already there when Ariadne got to the safe house. The worry on his face eased slightly when he saw her, but it was back in force once he realized her state. "What happened?" he asked, bustling her inside and then locking the door after her. The safe house was little more than an abandoned tenement he had reinforced and set security measures on when they had arrived in Penza. There was no heat, no electricity and little more than a cooler and oil lamp by way of supplies.

"S-s-someone r-r-r-r-rec-c-ognized m-m-me," Ariadne replied, shaking so hard she could barely stand. "F-f-f-fell inna Sura," she managed to say.

"Better than sewer," Arthur offered, holding onto her arm. He saw the bullet hole in her coat, but apparently it was puffy enough that the bullet itself hadn't done much more than graze her arm. "C'mon, we have to get you warm."

"N-n-never g-g-gonna g-g-get w-w-w-" she began, unable to stop the wracking shudders from rolling through her.

"Yes, we are," Arthur said firmly. He helped to peel off the sodden layers, laying them out flat over abandoned tables. "Eames texted me. He isn't sure if he was followed, thinks it's best he didn't show up here tonight. Hector is being Hector."

Ariadne nodded, teeth chattering. She was down to her underwear, bra and thin T shirt, her arms wrapped around herself. Arthur was frowning at her, then unzipped his coat and pulled her close to him. "I think there's a blanket around here, something like that. It won't be a lot, but it'll be better than the wet stuff." Ariadne merely clung to him in response, and he could feel the cold damp seeping through his sweater and shirt. "This isn't going to work." She looked at him, her large round eyes forming the question her lips couldn't seem to ask. "Now my clothes are getting soaked."

Arthur found a second thinner blanket that he thought would make a good towel. With a soft murmured apology, he helped Ariadne out of the rest of her clothes and briskly toweled off her body and hair with the blanket. He tried to avert his eyes when he could, but they kept straying back to the exposed skin. She was still cold and her skin was slightly damp, her teeth continually chattering. Arthur stripped as well and then pulled the thicker blanket around them. He could feel Ariadne curl around him, and he had to bite his tongue to keep from yelping when her cold hands pressed under his arms for warmth.

Though after a while, he couldn't mind it quite so much.

Snuggling close, Ariadne had every inch of her bare skin pressed up against his. Her shivering slowed, and Arthur found himself rubbing her arms and back. At first it was to try to get more of her circulation going. After a while, he was increasingly conscious of the curves of her body and the way her breathing seemed to fracture at his touch. "Ariadne?" he asked, voice slightly hoarse.

"Yeah?"

"You know I'm doing this just to get your temperature up, right?"

"Oh."

He could have kicked himself at the disappointed note in her voice. "I mean," he said hastily, "this bears repeating at some point. When you're not half frozen to death."

Ariadne looked up at him in amusement. "You mean I should completely ignore the fact that we're both very naked right now?"

Yes. No. Arthur looked at her in exasperation. "I'm trying to do the right thing, here."

She looked at him, lips curling into a smile. "I know." Her hands weren't nearly as cold now, and she let one trail down his stomach to his hip. "What if I'm not?"

"Ariadne..."

She wriggled around in his arms so that she gained a little height and was face to face with him. Her mouth descended over his slowly, so that he could pull away from her if he really wanted to.

He didn't.

He kissed her back, tongue sliding into her mouth. He cradled the back of her head as he deepened the kiss, fingers sliding through her damp hair. Ariadne smiled against his mouth, shifting her position enough to rub her breasts against his chest. "I can't think of a better way to get my temperature up, can you?" she murmured, moving to kiss the underside of his jaw and throat.

"You're going to be the death of me..."

"But what a way to go..."

Arthur chuckled at the playful note to her voice. "You sure you're up to it?"

"If you are," she said softly, stroking him. "Feels like you're getting there."

He laughed outright at that, and kissed her. Twisted within the blanket, they were pressed together tightly. Every ragged breath dragged her breasts across his chest, making her gasp against his mouth. Arthur's hands were along her back, keeping her close and stroking her skin. Her hands were warming now, one tight around him and the other holding him close. There was no real conscious decision on his part to start shifting his position beneath her, but he needed to move so he could get a hand between her thighs. He needed to slide his fingers into her, to feel her heat for himself, to stoke her fires even higher. Ariadne made soft mewling sounds, egging him on further. She came with a cry, squeezing him almost painfully. Ariadne went loose and pliant in his arms, and he continued stroking her.

"Oh, god, Arthur," she moaned, head thrown back. He kissed her throat, running his tongue along her skin. Ariadne writhed as his thumb brushed across her clit and his fingers curled right into a sensitive spot she never knew she had. "Oh, there," she whispered.

His hand moved fast and hard, and his mouth crashed down over hers again. She grasped his arms tightly, holding on for dear life. It was too much to feel this and to try to stroke him at the same time. She had no coherent thoughts and was simply drowning in sensation. Ariadne tightened around him, feeling as though she was on fire as her breath fractured. "Come for me," he moaned against her mouth, his cock sliding against her hip as she writhed. "I need to see it again. You're exquisite," he whispered.

Hearing the desire thick in his voice sent her over the edge. She nearly wailed, nails digging in as she arched her back and came. Arthur sucked on her neck, his body completely covering hers. Ariadne felt so tiny and utterly protected in that moment. With extreme effort, she shifted position to look at him. That upset their balance, and she tumbled down on top of Arthur. His breath whooshed out of his lungs as he landed on his back, but he laughed at her contrite expression. "Someone's a little excited," he said, pulling her close. The wet heat of her was tantalizingly close, but he wanted to tease her a little more.

"Fuck me now, Arthur," Ariadne said, voice husky with need. She almost couldn't believe she was actually talking like this, but his eyes were blown wide with lust and she couldn't be sorry.

Arthur easily turned her onto her back to slide deeply into her. Ariadne gasped and held on tightly as he moved inside her, slow strokes that were sensual and maddening and so very Arthur. She raked her nails down his back, trying to goad him on. "More," she gasped, trying to press her lips against his. He lifted his head, just out of reach so he could watch her as he swiveled his hips and thrust harder into her. Her mouth fell open, gasping and moaning as she tightened around him. Arthur bit his lip to try to keep from coming right there, but it wasn't enough. She was too tight, too good, and it was all too much sensation. He came with a grunt before collapsing on top of her.

For a while, their ragged breaths were the only sound in the room. Ariadne had her arms around him, her face pressed into his neck. "You know, we should do this again. When there's a bed and it's warm."

"There's the hotel room when your clothes dry," Arthur suggested. He smiled at her enthusiastic agreement. "I take it you like that idea?"

Ariadne laughed. "You are much too subtle, Arthur. Or I've been too subtle, I don't know. Why do you think I kissed you back during the Fischer job?"

"Natural charm?" he snarked.

She snickered. "When you let it out, sure."

"Only for you," Arthur murmured, his voice low and intimate. She shivered. "Are you still cold?"

"If I say yes, will you keep holding me?"

"I'd do that even if you said no," he said with a smile.

"Good answer," Ariadne replied, a grin on her face. Penza was probably one of her new favorite places in the world.

The End


End file.
